It blows me away that in most surveys people have a higher fear of public speaking than of death. They would rather die that give a presentation to a large group? I guess you wouldn’t need to worry about being asked to speak to a large group again. I agree, it can be nerve racking, especially the first few times.
I will also say that if I do not have any nerves before a presentation, I do not care enough about the quality of my work. I am just “mailing it in”. That is not fair to the customers that hired me. Some amount of stress before a presentation can sharpen your senses. Too much can paralyze you.
STAGE FRIGHT
"Remember, the trick is not getting rid of the butterflies in your tummy; it’s getting them to fly in formation." - Author unknown -
Here are some guidelines to calm the nerves:
Be prepared
Topic content- take some of the risk out of the experience by being an expert in the subject matter and communicate it in a way we all can comprehend. Do your homework and keep in mind that you were asked to present on this topic for a reason.
Use a method for organizing that works for you. There are several ways to develop your content structure. I still start with a framework I learned early on and fill in what I have (left brain). Then after I let it rest a bit, I will review before a long walk and think about how I can make it pop (right brain).
Customer knowledge- gather as much information on the participants as possible. Conduct a training needs analysis.
Practice- in front of a mirror, a camera, or a live group of supporters. I cannot overstate the impact of practicing with all the moving pieces.
Contingency plan- in case your AV goes haywire- create a way to deliver your content without technical support
Day of presentation
Stick to your routine. I have a set routine for the night before and morning of presentation days and will try to stick to it as much as possible.
On the evening before- I will do a run through and be sure I have all the supporting pieces in place. Then I charge all my electronics, do something relaxing, and be sure I get 7- 8 hours of sleep.
The morning of- I do my workout, eat breakfast, check all emails and voicemails- returning urgent ones. I arrive at the sight one hour ahead of my presentation and set up. Then I take a few minutes to chill before the audience arrives so I am fully present to them.
Drink water- it is amazing how dry one’s throat gets
Start by asking questions- to get a better understanding of them and their specific needs. It creates a bond with your participants because you are showing you want to know about them. It also sets the stage for a collaborative workshop.
Allow the participants to carry the load. We learn better when we are involved in the process as active participants. The expertise has always been in the room for each workshop I have done, I just need to tap into the intellectual capital. It is easier on the presenter when we have help teaching the class.
Hand out the agenda and carry a facilitator’s guide. I give my audience a bare outline with some time frames so they understand the journey we are going on. I create a more specific facilitator’s guide for me with mini time frames, stories, and highlight the text in different colors for different training methods. I also carry it with me while I am teaching.
Other thoughts
No one knows what specifically you meant to do. What you have in your facilitator’s guide is between you and that paper. If you forget to do or say something, only you know. If it is not critical, move on. If it is, weave it in later.
Hire a back of the room coach. It is best if you can get a mentor to help you for free or maybe a lunch bribe. If the gigs you do are that important, hiring a professional for the first one will be worth it. Create a list of specific things you want evaluated
Practice, practice, practice (did I mention this before?)
If you want to explore this further with me- contact me about my presentation skills programs
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